(Found) Mars colony. Earth takeover. 1970's

[Danny McG]

Okay.
Following the checklist but this is a very faint memory (inspired by Dave in the connection thread in playrooms)

Mankind set off colonizing Mars with people altered to have big chests for thin atmosphere. They grew very tall in light gravity. However star drive made them obsolete so marsport (?) Became a tourist town instead

Protagonist is a mars human private detective who gets dragged into a corporate feud by mistake with an Earth Mob trying to take over (casinos?)

One bit I remember is he visits a pal who makes his living doing coats of arms and heraldry. ZOND, KING OF ARMS. And he uses stuff called potent and counter-potent on shields

The mars humans revere some ancient carvings found on the red planet but a bad guy reveals these were fakes by early colonists
Read it as a paperback early seventies

This is all I've got peeps

 

[Vince W]

This is a long shot, but could it be Arm of the Law by Harry Harrison?

 

[Danny McG]

This is a long shot, but could it be Arm of the Law by Harry Harrison?

I'll have to have a look. Cheers

Edit: I've had a look but not the story I'm after.
Mars adapted private eye runs foul of some conspiracy.
There was a fair bit about heraldic symbols but all that I can dredge up is the potent and counter-potent stuff

 

[PaulMmn]

I'm 6 years behind in reading my collection of ANALOG magazine... and I remember reading something fairly recently (ie from 2011 or there abouts) about colonists on Mars with a conflict-- Only in this story Our Hero is a musician, traveling to The City with his group. One scene is them passing through a 'port of entry' where they're scanned, looking for nanotech. Don't know if this rings any bells or not.
--Paul E Musselman

 

[NannyOgg]

Just tried googling 'Zond King of Arms' and got something called 'Born Under Mars' by John Brunner. Seems to be a lot more recent, though.

 

[Danny McG]

Thank you NannyOgg
That was the one!
Originally published 1967 so I must have read it three or four years later.

Memory defects :-

• I said he was a private detective, but it turns out he was a starship engineer who had to turn detective to unravel the conspiracy he got embroiled in.
• It wasn't Earth trying to take over, it was Centauri space (ex Earth colonies)

 

[NannyOgg]

Good grief, I didn't notice it was you that posted. I found one that Dannymcg couldn't find? This must be my proudest moment here.

 

[Danny McG]

Good grief, I didn't notice it was you that posted. I found one that Dannymcg couldn't find? This must be my proudest moment here.